The Niger East Senatorial Zone by-election which originally slated for August 16, 2014 now holds on August 30, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Commissioner has announced.
Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Niger, Dr Emmanuel Onucheyo, disclosed this on Friday at a stakeholders meeting with party leaders in Minna.
He said the change of date was to allow INEC resolve some logistical challenges for a smooth conduct of the election.
“The change is in accordance to the provisions of Section 30 (3) of Electoral Act 2010 (As Amended), which allows a change 14 days to the announced date,Onucheyo said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that all the parties represented at the meeting except the APC agreed to the change, after a period of recess for consultations.
The Niger APC Chairman, Alhaji Muhammad Imam, described the date change as unconstitutional, saying the Electoral Act should not be seen to supersede the country’s Constitution.
“Section 76 of the 1999 Constitution which states `Election to hold on a date not later than one month after a vacancy occurs in the Senate’ supersedes Section 30 (3) of the Electoral Act 2010,” he said.
Imam pointed out that holding the election on Aug. 16 was the only way the constitutional provision of one month could be met by INEC